Stanley Pool Championship

Competition for clubs from Brazzaville and Léopoldville (now called Kinshasa), organised by the Fédération de Football Association du Pool, while both Congo and DR Congo (Zaire) were colonies (French and Belgian Congo respectively). Reportedly it also was open to clubs from Cabinda ("Portuguese Congo"), though this may have referred to "lusitanian" clubs from Léopoldville such as multiple winners AS Portuguesa.
It was therefore an international competition, open to "European" clubs, though both cities are located close to each other on the Malebo Pool (the current name of the Stanley Pool), a big lake in the Congo river.

In 1931, two "African" clubs from both cities met in Léopoldville in 1931, with Union de Léopoldville losing 1-5 to Etoile de Brazzaville; this is sometimes considered to have been an "African" version of the competition but if so, it does not appear to have been contested on a regular basis. However, in 1953 and 1954 (and possibly later) "African" clubs from both colonies competed for a Coupe de Noël.

Léopoldville Championship
Stanley Pool Cup

Palmares

1923    CO Léopoldville
1924    CO Léopoldville
1925    CO les Nomades (Léopoldville)
1926    CO Léopoldville
1927    AS Léopoldville
1928    AS Léopoldville
1929    ES Congolaise (Léopoldville)
1930    CO les Nomades (Léopoldville)
1931    CA Brazzaville
1932    AS Léopoldville
1933    AS Portuguesa (Léopoldville)
1934    AS Portuguesa (Léopoldville)
1935    AS Portuguesa (Léopoldville)
1936    CS Belge (Léopoldville)
1937    CA Brazzaville
1938    CS Belge (Léopoldville)
1939    AS Portuguesa (Léopoldville)
1940    AS Portuguesa (Léopoldville)
1941    CA Brazzaville
1942    Nomades FC (Léopoldville)
1943    Nomades FC (Léopoldville)
1944    AS Portuguesa (Léopoldville)
1945    CA Brazzaville
1946    Nomades FC (Léopoldville)
1947    CS Belge (Léopoldville)
1948    CS Belge (Léopoldville)
1949    CA Brazzaville
1950    CS Belge (Léopoldville)

Number of Wins

 6 AS Portuguesa (Léopoldville)

 5 CA Brazzaville
   CS Belge (Léopoldville)
   Nomades FC (Léopoldville) [includes CO les Nomades]

 3 AS Léopoldville
   CO Léopoldville

 1 ES Congolaise (Léopoldville)

NB: Léopoldville now called Kinshasa.

About this document

Sources: [FIF 52], [Bak 01], [Ale 10]

Prepared and maintained by Peter Kungler and Hans Schöggl for the Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation

Authors: Peter Kungler (peter dot kungler at roche dot com) and Hans Schöggl
Last updated: 20 May 2020